The Herald-Zeitung

With a holiday weekend coming up, the music scene is hotter than the weather. OK, maybe not that hot, but these next few days are going to be very busy if you're a fan of great Texas music. Some of the very best our state has to offer will be in our area.

Speaking of hot, let's give a hand to the Landon James Band for playing every Wednesday evening outside the patio area at Buffalo Wings & Rings. Every week, this young band has been braving the triple digit heat to entertain the folks, so stop by and show your support if you're in the area.

Another band that will be enduring the heat starting tonight and every Wednesday in July is Stewart Mann & Statesboro Revue. If you've never seen this Austin band, you need to fix that situation today by checking out their show at Gruene Hall.

As I've said before, if you like the Allman Brothers, Black Crowes, Van Morrison or the Rolling Stones, this is your band. It's a free show and the music starts about 7 p.m.

“We're ready to rock Gruene Hall,” said Mann from his home in Austin. “We've been on the road awhile and this will be our first show back in Texas.”

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Speaking of Gruene Hall, it will be cooking on July 4 starting at 1 p.m. with Tom Gillam and his full band. Gillam has a new CD just about ready, so you can bet he'll be playing some new tunes in addition to his long list of hits. If you like good rock ‘n’ roll mixed with a healthy dose of Americana, this is the show to see.

Later in the evening, the amazing Jason Eady will open for the legendary Asleep at the Wheel. I had the pleasure of speaking with Ray Benson recently about the band and playing Gruene Hall. “We don't use a set list,” said Benson. “We have a beginning and an end, and then we fill in the middle. We may throw in a few patriotic tunes since it's the 4th of July.”

I asked Ray how he and the band were coping with the heat, he just laughed.

“That's why we don't have to join a gym and work out; we just play Texas dancehalls in the summer.”

Another big Independence Day show will take place just down the road at Whitewater Amphitheater. Hometown band Zack Walther & the Cronkites will open for the Eli Young Band and Jack Ingram.

Headliner Jack Ingram called from Kansas where he was performing at an outdoor festival.

“It's always great to play at home in Texas. I get to open up my play list and do the old stuff that everyone knows. They know all my songs, from the radio hits all the way back to my days as an independent artist.”

Ingram's new CD, “Big Dreams & High Hopes” hits the streets on Aug. 25. See whitewaterrocks.com for ticket information.

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River Road Ice House also has a huge show on tap for July 4, with Django Walker opening for the amazing Jason Boland & the Stragglers. Walker is proving every night that he's a talented singer songwriter like his dad, Jerry Jeff. Boland won song of the year for his hit “Comal County Blue,” which happens to be the title track to his latest CD.

There's always a party when Boland and the boys rock the house, or should I say, the River Road Ice House.